Pages

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Home Again... for now

Yep, I leave for Florida on Thursday. But don't despair - I'm working on lining up some awesome guest posts to fill your days with brightness while I'm gone.

In the meantime, a couple of you asked for pictures of my trip, so here's a few to give you a taste of Portland. It is so green and beautiful!

Our hotel was on an island in the middle of the Columbia River, how cool is that? (A very big island) This is Mt. Hood, and one side of the river, as we were getting off the freeway to go to our hotel. This is Mt. St. Helen's (sorry, taken again from my car). I was obsessed with this volcano as a child, so it was fun to see it in person again. We were going to drive to it, but Son A got really upset and didn't want to. (He was afraid it would erupt.) Oh well.

The Columbia River on our drive home.

The whole place is just gorgeous! (Yep, another picture taken from the car. We couldn't stop because Son B took a lot of his naps in the car and stopping = him waking up = not good.)

I love travelling, how about you? That's something I love about books. They can take you places you've never been--real or imagined. They can be an escape from real life, or from where you are at the moment. That can be truly physically and emotionally. Writing, for me, is often the best form of escape. I can dive into the lives of my characters, into their settings and emotions, their troubles and their triumphs. When I'm feeling grumpy, my husband will often ask me if I've written anything recently. I'm surprised at how often I realize the times I'm more on edge correlate with having not written anything for a while. I'm not talking about editing, or revising--I mean WRITING. New words, new ideas, moving my characters forward. Speaking of writing, I need to go do some more.

I made it back last night in time to make it to a BBQ with my old writer's group. (Yes, I'm gigantic. And I even took off my heels for this pic. Oh well!) We don't do a big critique group like we used to anymore, but we still get together to see each other, celebrate each other's accomplishments and have a great time. Janette Rallison came late, so she wasn't in the picture, but we were so glad she was in town so we could see her, too! She's too hilarious. So, from left to right back row: Me, Erin, Ally, (Teddy, Erin's little boy), Jamie, Pam, Julie, Carla. Bottom Row: Carolyn and Stacey. I love these ladies. It is so important and fun to have friends who really understand this crazy business. Thanks for a great night ladies!

So tell me, do you have a writer's group or CP? How did you find them? We all met at a writer's conference a year ago. (Some of us knew each other before) Also, do you find writing to be an escape, or is that just me?

4 comments:

I have 2 crit buddies - I met them through the Agent Query forums. They're fantastic! We live in 2 different countries in totally different areas, so I don't know if we'll ever have the chance to meet, but I hope so!

Reading and writing for me are both ways of travelling, of escaping, of dreaming,... so no, it isn't just you :)

I used to have both a writing group and a critique partner. Unfortunately just about everyone in my writing group drifted away from their writing, and I lost my critique partner to nursing school. I still count most of them among my friends, but I've been in the market for a new writing group and/or critique partner!

Subscribe to Author Sara B. Larson's mailing list

About Me

I am the author of the DEFY trilogy (DEFY, IGNITE, and ENDURE) and DARK BREAKS THE DAWN (coming May 30th)! I am represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary. I have an amazing husband, some incredibly cute (and crazy) kids, one maltese, and a sugar addiction. Find me on www.SaraBLarson.com !

IGNITE (DEFY #2)

"Alexa was fierce in Defy (2013), and in this second installment, she remains an interesting, multilayered

character, a valiant fighter with heart. Series fans will be satisfied." - Booklist praise for IGNITE

"...a[n]...engaging read and one that fans of the series

will definitely be seeking." - VOYA praise for IGNITE

PW calls DEFY a "riveting fantasy" with "emotional sincerity and psychological depth" and a "cinematic finale"!

"Larson's debut is full of passion and adventure, urging readers to cheer and weep simultaneously at Alexa's astounding courage. Those interested in strong female characters, such as Katniss from Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, will find new affinity in Defy." - School Library Journal

“A wonderful tale of adventure, romance, and embracing your true self. Alexa is a heroine readers will love to follow!” – Marie Lu, bestselling author of the LEGEND series

"DEFY by Sara Larson is an amazing, fantastic book. It has everything you'd want: intrigue, awesomely real characters, suspense, and a captivating plot. All in a world that comes to life in your mind. Highly recommended." – James Dashner, bestselling author of THE MAZE RUNNER

"Set in a medieval world full of danger, magic and romance, Larson's exciting tale will appeal to fans of high fantasy. The plot is fast-paced and the story full of unexpected twists and turns. [DEFY] ...will leave readers craving for more." - Children's Literature.